The Hanxia Villa was situated in a lonely place. Hence, Song Yixiao and Zhiqin were walking on the desolate path back.

Yet, it was in the daytime anyway. Although the path was quiet and secluded with thick forests and gra.s.s, they were not frightened, discussing with each other on the way, "Shall we report what has happened today to the princess consort?"

"No. Only my clothes have been stained, which can be cleaned later. Moreover, there is no evidence showing that the maid did it on purpose. I can only punish her in the end even if I keep badgering… However, doing so would make me look stingy and ask for trouble deliberately!"

Zhiqin's heart ached with pity, "The ink was specially thick and your stained clothes were lunar white. I don't think the clothes can be cleaned. It is the first time that you have worn the blouse!"

"Then you can have it if you want." Song Yixiao tried to comfort her, "Don't you also like this kind of color?"

Zhiqin said in a hurry, "I didn't mean that!"

While she was talking, she looked to Song Yixiao and glimpsed something in the gra.s.s near Song Yixiao. Her pupils instantly contracted!

Before she had time to remind her lady, Zhiqin threw away the schoolbag without hesitation and grabbed Song Yixiao's arm, running to the nearest willow tree, "Your ladys.h.i.+p, climb up onto the tree. Hurry up!"

Song Yixiao, totally off guard, almost tripped and fell for being dragged, saying in surprise, "Why?!"

No one replied to her but the fierce barking which was beaming with violence and killing intent!

"Hurry! Climb!" Scratching and scrambling, Zhiqin pushed Song Yixiao towards under the tree. She didn't even dare to turn around but kept urging, "Your ladys.h.i.+p, climb! If you climb up there, they can't bite you then!"

"But..." Song Yixiao also knew that it was urgent now but she was a weak woman who always stayed in the boudoir whether in her previous life or this life. How could she climb tree? Even though the lowest branch of the willow tree was not much higher than her, she couldn't reach it after holding the tree and jumping for many times.

Zhiqin saw her action and felt anxious with a red face. Somehow she suddenly lowered her head and bent down to raise Song Yixiao by holding her leg, "Your ladys.h.i.+p, catch the branch and climb onto it!"

"I make it!" With her help, Song Yixiao finally scrambled onto the branch. Without flipping away her fallen hair, she hurried to turn around and reach out her hand, "Give your hand to me and I drag… Zhiqin!"

The moment she saw what happened under the tree, she couldn't help screaming in shock!

Two mastiffs that were taller than them had flung themselves upon Zhiqin unknowingly, biting her madly at the moment. Zhiqin's neck had been bitten off a large piece of flesh, with her bone exposed to the air. Therefore, despite her body full of blood, she couldn't even scream out her pain!

The sun blazed like a ball of fire while Song Yixiao felt like being in an icehouse!

Her mind going blank, she took off her purse and threw it towards the mastiffs tremblingly, "Go away! Go away! Both of you, go away!"

Her action attracted the attention of the mastiffs indeed. Of one accord, they let go of Zhiqin and gathered under the tree. Unfortunately, the branch that was as high as an adult was not absolutely safe in the face of two mastiffs. Song Yixiao didn't realize this problem until one mastiff jumped up and failed to bite her. Yet, when she tried to climb higher, to her sorrow, she found that her legs felt like jelly right now. She couldn't even stand up, let alone climbing higher!

Looking at the two mastiffs step far back and get ready to jump forward, Song Yixiao presumed that she would be doomed. Suddenly, she recalled the clothes that were stained just now, "No wonder I only encountered such a problem after I arrived at school. Zhiqin and I just thought that they ruined my new clothes on purpose but it turns out that what they want is to get me killed!"

Her stained clothes were placed in the wing-room, which weren't taken away by Zhiqin until the cla.s.s was over. The time slot of four or six hours was long enough for the two mastiffs to remember the odor so that they could find her in light of the odor!

Song Yixiao never believed that she and Zhiqin encountered these two mastiffs by coincidence. The courtyard of the prince's residence was such an important place that this kind of fierce animal which could fight with wolves and leopards couldn't be brought in here!

Even if there were exceptions, the mastiffs must be put on necklaces with specially-a.s.signed people guarding over them in case that they would hurt others.

Now the two mastiffs, neither constrained nor locked, obviously came at Song Yixiao and her maid. Hence, how could it be possible that no one tried to kill her?

"Is it the ringleader Madam Jin or Cui Jianlian?" She stubbed her nails deeply into her palms, making her warm blood drip along her tender skin to the branch and ground. The blood smell stimulated the fierceness of the mastiffs even more. Judging from their roaring gesture, she could imagine that these sharp canine teeth would tear her off within the blink of an eye. Song Yixiao's conjecture about the ringleader only flashed through her mind. She stared in sadness at her loyal maid, who was lying in blood under the tree, crying her eyes out, "What's the point thinking about this now? Zhiqin, how can I pay you back for this?"

In the previous life, at the age of 16, she was stopped by Liu Zhiyin, the nephew of Madam Liu in the garden, who intended to s.e.xually hara.s.s her. It was Zhiqin who hit Liu Zhiyin's head with a stone and dragged her away. In that case, her virginity was kept finally!

Afterwards, Madam Liu's mediation made Song Yixiao slandered for seducing her cousin. Before she was drowned to death, Zhiqin was forcibly taken away by Ms. Wu, the maid of Madam Liu. It was said that she was left at the disposal of Liu Zhiyin. Song Yixiao could think of what would happen to her maid!

By then she was even unable to protect herself. Despite deep affliction, she couldn't do anything about that regardless.

When she was resurrected and had another chance to meet her close maid who was innocent with a sweet smile, Song Yixiao thought that it was finally her turn to pay her back.

Who could think of that Zhiqin was implicated even earlier this life!

Song Yixiao's regret and sorrow was beyond words. Even after the sudden sound of arrow shooting came and the two jumping mastiffs fell down with a plaintive whine, being s.n.a.t.c.hed from the jaws of death couldn't make her happy at all.

After confirming that the two mastiffs couldn't continue hurting people anymore, Lu Guanlun threw away the bow and arrows and dashed towards under the tree. He was going to catch Song Yixiao but he was surprised to find that she directly jumped down without even looking at his stretching arms and ran to her maid staggeringly, "Zhiqin? Zhiqin! Are… Are you still alive?"

Song Yixiao felt her cold blood seemingly boiling up instantly. The joy of recovering what was lost suddenly broke through her self-control. She pressed her chest with her arms and screamed. Then she turned around to stare at Lu Guanlun who was ordering the manservant to summon more people, "Doctor! I need a doctor here!"